“Difficult but gifted.” That’s how Ivy Maddox remembers being labeled when she was growing up. In reality, she had ADHD, but it went undiagnosed for years due to her ability to hyperfocus on certain subjects. Adults decided that she was simply not always living up to her potential, but by her own admission she was a “gobby little shit” unable to pay attention and always distracting the other students.
Upon graduating from secondary school, she decided that attending a university would be a good way to get “free money” via education-related assistance, while earning her independence. She did not consider herself a particularly academic person; she just wanted to get drunk at house parties and have sex in what she describes as “grotty student bar toilet cubicles.” That plan hit a snag when, in keeping with her rebellious spirit, she broke her dorm room tenancy agreement by buying a snake on Craigslist, which she tried but failed to keep a secret.
I love role-play and I’m a switch, so I’m happy to take the lead or be more submissive if the person on the other end of the cam enjoys more of a dominant role.
Back then, the only thing Maddox absolutely knew she wanted to pursue was snowboarding. She began stripping specifically to fund that particular addiction, and indulged her lust for adventure by chasing the winter season all across the globe, hopping hemispheres to spend weekdays hitting the slopes and weekends dancing in the local gentlemen’s bars. Her skill at the sport earned her sponsorships, but while the companies backing her covered her board, kit and lift pass, she still needed to eat. Stripping a couple of nights a week enabled her to do the thing she loved most almost every day.
That dream life lasted for a couple of years — until Maddox literally broke her neck. Forced to reevaluate her entire life, she tried to decide what she wanted to do next. Folks encouraged her to “get a real job,” but she did not feel ready to leave the adult industry. She truly enjoyed performing, and loved the intimate interactions and sexual tension between dancer and customer. She also enjoyed the perk of seeing other attractive women at work.
Given Maddox’s consistently nontraditional approach to work and life, it was probably inevitable that she would put the cart before the horse when launching her adult career. Rather than follow the commonly assumed “natural” progression in adult work — going from dancing to camming, then being recruited by an indie or studio producer — Maddox opted to skip the line and simply “jump ass-first into porn” as she puts it, going straight into studio shoots with director Proxy Paige.
Once she did jump into camming, however, the fan base that loved her hardcore shoots followed her over to her streams. And stream she did, with full-tilt enthusiasm, quickly becoming quite the virtuoso with a fully kitted out setup, if she does say so herself.
Now, in this Cam Star of the Month interview, Ivy Maddox discusses her diverse array of adult work, and how it all comes together to make her a noted streamer.
XBIZ: Tell us about your foray into porn, before you ventured into streaming.
MADDOX: I had been attending sex-positive raves and kink events in London, so I was kind of living the life already. A gangbang was on top of my bucket/fuck-it list, as well as being filmed having sex, but it was incredibly hard to organize a gangbang myself. Then I realized that having one on camera would not only be a safe option, but kill two birds with one stone. I knew I wanted to do hardcore porn to start with because I knew I had a talent, which was getting my ass pounded, and I needed to share it with the world. My ass is the star, I’m just here for the ride.
XBIZ: How does your experience shooting for studios enhance your cam shows?
MADDOX: I think the main thing I have learned from studio work is understanding technical things like lighting and the best camera angles. I learned most of my interpersonal charm in the strip clubs — and I think sex appeal comes from within, and can’t be taught. The great thing about being in the comfort of my own home is that I can do whatever I like within the terms and conditions of platforms. In the clubs, we always had to be moving due to the rules, even if it was slow. I didn’t realize how many guys would feel satisfied by just looking at an extreme close-up of my pussy while I spread it and lie there talking dirty on cam.
XBIZ: Talk about your setup for camming and content. What hardware, wardrobe, toys, etc. do you rely on for making the magic happen?
MADDOX: I think the most important thing is a fast Wi-Fi connection and good lighting. I could have the hottest cam show on earth, but it doesn’t matter if people can’t see me properly or if I’m lagging during the money shot. I don’t use standard indoor lighting because the overhead lights can flicker, as well as being unflattering. My ring light is just a bog standard one from Amazon, but I know you can get fancier ones. I used to use my phone, which worked fine because I have a phone with a camera that is good enough to shoot content on. But these days I use, and recommend, the Logitech C920, which sticks into my laptop. If I’m traveling and packing light, I might still use my phone with a rechargeable ring light that clips onto the top of it.
I make my surroundings look soft and inviting, kind of like if I was to invite someone over to bang. I set the bed or sofa up with a waterproof fleece blanket, because I just got a new sofa and I’m a squirter. The only mess you can see are toys in the background, as I like to have them on display so people can get intrigued by them, and ask what they are or to have a closer look. I always have a range of dicks plus, obviously, butt stuff and a Doxy — for some reason, in the U.K., we have these instead of Hitachi wands. Something I haven’t tried yet, but really want to, are those vibes where people can control them remotely!
XBIZ: What do fans most often enjoy doing with you while you’re livestreaming?
MADDOX: If it’s a group session, then mostly they want to play games and get me naked; in private, obviously, the session is more personal. Sometimes the guy likes a bit of JOI, sometimes they like to see me stuff toys in my butt and cum whilst moaning their name. I love role-play and I’m a switch, so I’m happy to take the lead or be more submissive if the person on the other end of the cam enjoys more of a dominant role.
XBIZ: When you’re not working, what activities do you like to engage in? Any interesting pursuits or humorous stories?
MADDOX: My first love was and always will be music. I absolutely love going to shows of all genres! I grew up with the New Musical Express as my bible and would sneak my way into gigs in Camden, London as a teen. During the summer, I love going to festivals, and this year I spent a lot of time in the drum and bass tents. During the winter, I love to travel and fill my passport with stamps. I have spent time in many countries including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Ibiza and Austria. As well as wanting to go snowboarding, I want to go to Asia this winter. It’s always been a fantasy of mine to join the mile-high club with a stranger on a plane. The thrill of possibly getting caught turns me on so much!
XBIZ: What's your approach to finding work/life balance?
MADDOX: I find the best way to avoid getting stressed is by having orgasms. I often orgasm in my work, but I do think it is important to have real-life sex too. I have never met anyone that has matched my incredibly high sex drive, but maybe one day I’ll get lucky.
XBIZ: What was it like speaking on a panel at XBIZ Amsterdam and attending the 2023 XBIZ Europas as a multi-nominated performer?
MADDOX: It was amazing! I absolutely loved it. I feel like I packed in maybe a little too much, though — and I don’t mean outfits. For example, on the first day of the show, before I had even collected my pass, I had already done two hard anal scenes! I really enjoyed connecting with performers and meeting people I have looked up to online. I loved speaking on the panel, even though I was super nervous before. Oh, and of course the parties were hedonistic as fuck, which was yum.
XBIZ: Talk about your goals for the coming year and beyond.
MADDOX: There are so many studios I want to work with in Europe. I would also one day love to work in America! I love doing gonzo and hardcore, but also really enjoy porn with a storyline and some acting. The tricky thing with being an “alternative” girl is some studios think that we can’t be cast as, for example, a girl next door or a MILF. But if you look at the world we live in, I am a girl next door to at least two people and there are MILFs in all shapes and sizes and looks. I think it’s great that tattooed models are now welcomed by most agencies and studios, and I can already see a world where we have the option to do all kinds of scenes, and not just the extreme or hardcore ones from the classic “alt” era.
